Toothpaste droplets

ABSTRACT

A device, method, and system for delivering toothpaste to a user. In one embodiment of the invention, a droplet for delivering toothpaste to a user can be provided. The droplet can include a dissolvable outer membrane defining a volume with toothpaste inside the volume. The outer membrane can include a tail portion, which is configured to be embedded into the bristles of a toothbrush. The droplet further can include one or more extensions coupled to the outer surface of the outer membrane, the one or more extensions can have a triangular shape, a barb shape or the like. In one aspect of this embodiment, the droplet further can include a logo, a cartoon character, a word or the like printed on the outer membrane.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The field of the invention generally relates to toothpaste and moreparticularly to a droplet of toothpaste configured to be embedded intothe bristles of a toothbrush.

2. Description of the Related Art

People are encouraged to use toothpaste at least twice daily and believethat toothpaste is a completely safe health care product. Mosttoothpaste contains fluoride because fluoride helps to prevent dentalcavities and dental decay. Fluoride, however, can cause health risks aswell. For example, poisoning may occur following excessive ingestion ofa fluoride-containing product such as toothpaste. In 1997, the Food &Drug Administration (FDA) started to require a warning on toothpastescontaining fluoride. The FDA warning cautions users “If you accidentallyswallow more than used for brushing, seek professional help or contact apoison control center immediately”. In 2006, the American Association ofPoison Control Centers (AAPCC) reported 22,168 exposures involvingtoothpaste with fluoride and in 2007 the AAPCC reported 24,237 exposuresinvolving toothpaste with fluoride (AAPCC Annual Reports available onthe website www.aapcc.org). In other cases, the toxic effects followingingestion of toothpaste can result in gastrointestinal discomfort, e.g.,severe stomachaches and diarrhea. Moreover, the ingestion of fluoridecan cause a discoloration of the teeth called dental fluorosis. Fluorideproduces dental fluorosis by damaging the cells that produce the tooth'senamel during formation of the tooth. Dental fluorosis appears as arange of cosmetic changes varying from white spots on the teeth to brownstains. In severe cases, the teeth are pitted and fragile.

The risk of excessive ingestion of toothpaste is not prevented by thetraditional tubes of toothpaste. Traditional tubes and pumps do notprovide users with an appropriate quantity of toothpaste on theirtoothbrush. Thus, the amount of toothpaste used for brushing cannot bedetermined nor controlled. In addition to the health risks due toingestion of toothpaste, the traditional tubes present otherdisadvantages. For example, traditional tubes frequently cause waste andmess of toothpaste. In addition, there is an environmental cost due tothe number of empty toothpaste tubes as these traditional tubes requirean extended time period to degrade.

One attempt to resolve these issues included providing a single usechewable capsule containing toothpaste and/or toothbrush kit with ameans for receiving a capsule of toothpaste. However, the risk ofswallowing capsules of toothpaste still exists insofar as the capsulescannot hold onto the brush and the toothbrush kit includes a toothpastedelivery system that requires some adaptation to retain the capsules oftoothpaste.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art inrespect to delivery of toothpaste and provide a novel and non-obviousdevice, method, and system for delivering toothpaste to a user. In oneembodiment of the invention, a droplet for delivering toothpaste to auser can be provided. The droplet can include a dissolvable outermembrane defining a volume with toothpaste inside the volume. The outermembrane can include a tail portion, which is configured to be embeddedinto the bristles of a toothbrush. The droplet further can include oneor more extensions coupled to the outer surface of the outer membrane,the one or more extensions can have a triangular shape, a barb shape orthe like. In one aspect of this embodiment, the droplet further caninclude a logo, a cartoon character, a word or the like printed on theouter membrane.

In another embodiment of the invention, a method for cleaning teeth canbe provided. The method can include providing a droplet that can have adissolvable outer membrane that defines a volume with toothpaste insidethe volume. The outer membrane can include a tail portion, which isconfigured to be embedded into the bristles of a toothbrush. Theprovided droplet further can include one or more extensions coupled tothe outer surface of the outer membrane where the one or more extensionscan have a triangular shape, a barb shape or the like. In one aspect ofthis embodiment, the droplet further can include a logo, a cartooncharacter, a word or the like printed on the outer membrane. The methodcan further include placing the droplet into the bristles of thetoothbrush, releasing the toothpaste from the outer membrane into thebristles of the toothbrush and cleaning the teeth with the toothpaste.In an aspect of this method, the release of toothpaste can includedissolving the dissolvable outer membrane with saliva. In another aspectof this method, the method can include swallowing the dissolvable outermembrane. In yet another aspect of this method, the outer surface of thetail section of the outer membrane can include one or more extensions.

In yet another embodiment of the invention, a container for dispensingdroplets of toothpaste can be provided. The container can include ashell body with a top and a bottom, the bottom opposite the top and aspout rotabably connected to the top and configured to release thedroplets of toothpaste.

Additional aspects of the invention will be set forth in part in thedescription which follows, and in part will be obvious from thedescription, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The aspectsof the invention will be realized and attained by means of the elementsand combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. It isto be understood that both the foregoing general description and thefollowing detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only andare not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute partof this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention andtogether with the description, serve to explain the principles of theinvention. The embodiments illustrated herein are presently preferred,it being understood, however, that the invention is not limited to theprecise arrangements and instrumentalities shown, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a droplet of toothpaste made in accordancewith the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the droplet of toothpaste positioned forembedding onto a toothbrush;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the droplet embedded into bristles of atoothbrush;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a container for dispensing a droplet oftoothpaste made in accordance with one embodiment of the presentinvention; and,

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of another container for dispensing adroplet of toothpaste made in accordance with one embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 6 is a front view of another droplet of toothpaste made inaccordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Each droplet of toothpaste contains the recommended amount of toothpastefor a single cleaning of the teeth of the user. Waste can be eliminatedby providing the consumer with exactly the amount of toothpastenecessary to brush their teeth. The droplets can be contained anddelivered in a sealed plastic pack and that pack can be filled with therecommended number of droplets to provide the brushing desired. Forexample, a pack of two droplets (enough for one day's brushing) can besupplied by hotels, airlines, companies, hospitals and prisons to theresidents, passengers, employees, patients and inmates to provide therecommended amount of toothpaste for their stay. This convenientdelivery system of toothpaste eliminates significant waste. The dropletsof toothpaste also are very convenient for travel because they are easyto carry, pass easily through security in airports and the droplets donot require as much space and weight as traditional toothpaste tubes.

In embodiments, the toothpaste droplets can have a teardrop shape. Thetoothpaste droplets are configured to be embedded into the bristles ofthe toothbrush. The user only needs to place a droplet on the bristlesof a toothbrush and the droplet can stick to the toothbrush with noadditional help. The droplets do not need to be pressed or squeezed intothe toothbrush in order to be held by the bristles. In embodiments,depending on the type of toothbrush and/or bristles, a slight amount ofpressure may be required to embed the droplet into the bristles buttypically no pressure is required. In addition, the droplets do not fallout and avoid being accidentally swallowed when a user brings thetoothbrush into his/her mouth. Generally speaking, the risk of ingestionof toothpaste is higher with children. Indeed, as most children have notlearned to control the swallowing reflex, they can very easily swallowtoothpaste placed in their mouth. Furthermore, children also can swallowtoothpaste deliberately when they like its taste and frequentlytoothpaste for kids can have different flavors, colors or compositionsto appeal and motivate the children to brush their teeth. The risk ofswallowing is prevented by the tear-shaped droplets of toothpaste thatremain embedded into the bristles of the toothbrush.

The droplets are wrapped with a dissolvable film strip. Thus, thetoothpaste contained into the droplets spreads over the toothbrush whenwater is poured on the droplets. A droplet does not need to be squeezedor crushed and chewed to release the toothpaste in it. Thus, the dropletkeeps the brushing process easy and tidy as the user can place thedroplet onto the toothbrush, can wet the droplet with water or salivaand can brush the user's teeth. Although the term toothpaste is usedthroughout this specification, the term toothpaste is meant to includevarious types of dentifrice, for example, the term toothpaste caninclude a paste, liquid, gel or powder used to maintain good oralhygiene.

Tear-shaped droplets of toothpaste can retain a hold on all kinds ofbristles or toothbrushes. The toothbrush does not need to bespecifically designed to retain the droplets nor do the bristles have tobe arranged for reception of the droplets. Accordingly, an economicadvantage is realized since good health care includes the frequentreplacement of toothbrushes and the tear-shaped droplets of toothpastecan be used with any toothbrush. For example, the tear-shaped dropletsof toothpaste fit nicely onto rotatable or spinning toothbrushes. Inaddition, the droplets are easy to use which is greatly appreciatedespecially by kids and seniors who may have some difficulties with atube of toothpaste or a toothbrush kit that has a complicated toothpastedelivery system.

Accordingly, this invention has developed an economical and easy way touse droplets of toothpaste to address the health risks related toexcessive ingestion of toothpaste by a user. In illustration, FIG. 1depicts a droplet of toothpaste 100. As shown in FIG. 1, a droplet oftoothpaste 100 can include an outer membrane 102 and a certain amount oftoothpaste 104 inside. In embodiments, the outer membrane 102 can beformed by use of containment materials. The containment materials can bemade of dissolvable film strip technology such as poly vinyl alcoholwhich dissolves in the presence of water or saliva. Alternatively, inembodiments, the containment materials can be made of an edible film,such as cellulose, carrageen, starch and gelatin.

In embodiments, the membrane 102 can be printed with logos, charactersand the like, depending on the targeted consumers, e.g., children,adults and seniors. Different formulations of toothpaste 104 can beenclosed in the membrane 102. Each droplet 100 can contain therecommended amount of toothpaste prescribed by the American DentalAssociation (ADA) to clean the teeth of the user one time.

A pre-measured amount of toothpaste can be determined based on the needof the users. For most children, teething begins by six months age andthe brushing of the child's teeth is required during the life of theteeth. However, the necessary amount of toothpaste to properly brushone's teeth can differ depending of the age of the user. For example, apea-sized amount, e.g., 0.8 to 1.2 grams of toothpaste is recommendedfor the teeth of toddlers. In contrast, one and one half to twice thepea-sized amount, e.g., 1.2 to 1.8 grams of toothpaste is recommendedfor kids who have a full set of baby teeth. Moreover, the droplet 100can provide different quantities of toothpaste adapted to the need ofthe users e.g., the recommended amount for adults is 1.6 to 2.4 grams.Furthermore, the packaging of the droplets of toothpaste can be adaptedto targeted consumers and/or providers. As each droplet 100 contains therecommended amount of toothpaste for one complete brushing of the teethof a user and brushing twice a day is the recommended frequency, thepackaging of the droplets can contain the recommended quantity oftoothpaste for a determined period of time. For example, some potentialproviders of toothpaste such as hotels or airline companies are able toforesee the number of days their clients planned to stay and thus thequantity of droplets of toothpaste they want to offer to each client.Other potential providers of toothpaste like hospitals or prisons can beinterested in this healthy and economical delivery system of toothpaste.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the droplet 100 can be shaped as a teardropand can include a tail portion 106 that can be easily embedded into thebristles 108 of a toothbrush 110. The droplet 100 can stick in thebristles 108 so that the droplet 100 does not fall off when thetoothbrush 110 is brought into the mouth. The outer membrane 102 of thetoothpaste droplet 100 can dissolve once it comes in contact with wateror saliva. To activate the droplet 100, a consumer can choose either topour water on the droplet 100 while the droplet 100 is embedded into thebristles of the toothbrush 110 or to wet the droplet 100 with salivawhile the droplet 100 is embedded into the bristles. In any case, therisk of swallowing is prevented insofar as the bristles of thetoothbrush retain the droplet 100 of toothpaste and allows thetoothpaste 104 to spread through the bristles 108 of the toothbrush 110once the outer membrane 102 is dissolved.

In embodiments, the tail portion 106 of the toothpaste droplet 100 caninclude one or more extensions 112 protruding from the outer surface oftail portion 106 that form irregularities on the outer surface of thetail portion 106 of the outer membrane 102 to anchor into the bristles108 of a toothbrush 110. For example, the extensions 112 can be one ormore triangular-shaped protrusions, rounded protrusions, rounded barbs(best illustrated in FIG. 6) or the like. In embodiments, the extensions112 can be positioned in a row, e.g., inline or can be scattered aboutthe outer surface of tail portion 106. Regardless of the shape of theextensions 112, these extensions 112 are configured to aid in attachingor embedding the tail portion 106 of the toothpaste droplet 100 into thebristles 108 of the toothbrush 110. In embodiments, the toothpastedroplet 100 can have a teardrop shape, diamond shape, e.g., an emperor'scut, or a similar shape.

Several types of packaging are available to store and dispense thetoothpaste droplets 100. As illustrated in FIG. 4, a container 400 inthe form of a tube or box can be provided to store and dispense thetoothpaste droplets 100. Container 400 can have a shell body 402 thatcan be shaped to form a box-like structure. The box-like structure canhave four sides 404, 406, 408, 410, a top 412 and a bottom 414 oppositethe top 412. The container 400 further can include a spout 416 fordispensing the toothpaste droplets 100. The spout 416 can be located inthe top 412, the bottom 414 or one of the sides 404, 406, 408, 410. Inembodiments, the spout 416 can be activated by lifting a distal edge,e.g., the end furthest from the middle of the middle of the top 412section, of the spout 416. In embodiments, container 400 can include aliner (not shown) that can contain the toothpaste droplets 100. Theliner can be placed within the shell body 402. The liner can be made ofvarious plastic materials including biodegradable plastic. Although FIG.4 illustrates the container 400 as a box-like structure, container 400is not limited to this shape. Instead it is expected that container 400can take numerous shapes such as a tube, a cylinder and the like.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, a container 500 in the form of a gumballdispenser can be provided to store and dispense the toothpaste droplets100. The container 500 can have a shell body 502 that can be shaped toform a bottom portion of a gumball like dispenser. For example, shellbody 502 can include a bottom or base 504, a side portion 514, a dome506, a guide spiral 512, a dispensing slot 510 and a retaining wall 508.In embodiments, the guide spiral 512 can be fixed or rotatable. The domecan include a liner (not shown) that can contain the toothpaste droplets100.

In embodiments, the toothpaste droplet 100 can be used in a method forbrushing the teeth of a user. For example, first a droplet of toothpastecan be provided. The droplet can include a dissolvable outer membranethat defines a volume where toothpaste fills the defined volume. Theouter membrane also can include a tail portion that is configured toembed into bristles of a toothbrush. Next the provided droplet can beplaced onto the bristles of the toothbrush. At this point, thetoothpaste can be released from the outer membrane into the bristles ofthe toothbrush by wetting the droplet with water or saliva. Finally theteeth can be cleaned with the toothpaste. In embodiments, the outermembrane 102 of the droplet 100 can be formed from a dissolvable filmstrip technology. In embodiments, the outer surface of the tail sectionof the outer membrane can have one or more extensions. These extensionscan have various shapes, including but not limited to, a triangularshape or a barb shape. In addition, the outer membrane of the dropletcan from a teardrop shape.

The invention has been described with respect to certain preferredembodiments, but the invention is not limited only to the particularconstructions disclosed and shown in the drawings as examples, and alsocomprises the subject matter and such reasonable modifications orequivalents as are encompassed within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A droplet comprising: a dissolvable outermembrane defining a volume; and, toothpaste inside the volume; whereinthe outer membrane includes a tail portion, the tail portion beingconfigured to embed into bristles of a toothbrush; wherein the outermembrane is formed from a dissolvable film strip; and, a plurality ofextensions forming irregularities on the outer surface of the tailsection of the outer membrane.
 2. The droplet of claim 1, wherein theplurality of extensions have a triangular shape.
 3. The droplet of claim1, wherein the plurality of extensions have a barb shape.
 4. The dropletof claim 1, wherein the outer membrane forms a teardrop shape.
 5. Thedroplet of claim 1, wherein the outer membrane includes one of a logo, acartoon character and a word.
 6. The droplet of claim 1, wherein thedissolvable film strip is polyvinyl alcohol.